Bowes Museum’s monkey puzzle tree £10k campaign target reached

A community campaign to create keep the legacy of Bowes Museum’s cherished tree alive, has hit its target.

The monkey puzzle tree, was planted by John and Josephine Bowes when the couple founded The Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle, in 1871.

It has stood proudly in the museum gardens for more than 100 years but had to be felled in May.

Instead of letting the tree go to waste, staff set up £10,000 Kickstarter campaign where patrons can buy a hand-turned bowl for £125 – an amount chosen to mark the museum’s 125th anniversary.

And with just eight days to go, the target has been smashed with a total of £10,231 being donated.

Fundraising officer, Alison Nicholson, said: “I am thrilled that we’ve just reached our £10,000 Kickstarter target to make our Monkey Puzzle Legacy project happen. It’s a brilliant idea and we’ve had so much interest in John Bowes’ tree from local audiences and visitors, and backers from the other side of the world.”

She added: “With eight days to go, there’s still time to secure your very own piece of Bowes Museum heritage so don’t miss out.”